10 Times Vince McMahon Screwed His Own Talent

Professional wrestlers have been classified as independent contractors practically from the beginning. In the old days - and even on the independent circuit now - that status is fairly legitimate. Talent chose where to work, organised their own fees and were fairly free to work as they liked, provided the promoter got the finish they'd agreed.

Not in the WWE, which signs talent up to ironclad exclusive contracts in which all the rights belong to the company. The WWE - and really, the buck stops with Vince McMahon and has since 1982 - tells its wrestlers where to go, what to do, how to dress and behave when they're not working, and controls their pay with a dismaying lack of transparency or consistency. They're also micromanaged about how they do their job, far over and above the finish of the match - and Vince McMahon can fine them thousands of dollars on a whim for perceived breaches of etiquette or alleged unprofessional behaviour.

All of this would be fine (if a little draconian) if the talent in question were employees, with a contract of employment and statutory rights. But McMahon classifies his talent as independent contractors, not employees. They have no contractual right to healthcare and pensions. They pay their own tax and expenses.

As true independent contractors, wrestlers are small business owners in which they are both service provider and product. But WWE owns its talent, body and soul.

But that's Vince McMahon for you, a man who's been screwing people for so long that it's become business as usual.